Today on the podcast is one of my favorite episodes EVER.

I brought on my moms two sisters: Rhonda and Shelly.

In this episode we talk about my mom and the legacy of love she left behind.

For those of you who don’t know, my mom passed away in 2017. You can read the blog post I wrote when she was diagnosed here: When Life Hits You Hard and the post I wrote when she went to heaven here: Rest In Paradise Mama Dot Dot.

My mom, Dottie, was one of seven children. Her mom Doris was just as loving as she was. Doris was a hard worker and with so many children to raise, she had to work quite a bit. Rhonda (my aunt) and Dottie (my mom) as the two oldest, really stepped up to help take care of the other kids.

I loved interviewing my aunts and hearing their different perspectives.

One of my favorite stories that my aunt Shelly shared in this episode was when my mom noticed Shelly getting frustrated that she didn’t have barbie clothes to fit her barbies. When my mom noticed this, she patiently sat with Shelly and taught her how to sew new clothes for her barbie (this was SO my mom).

Another story Shelly shared that I loved was how when her hair was FULL of tangles my mom patiently gathered several different combs and sat with Shelly for hours and got every single tangle out. Shelly shared that this is something her mom would have done, but because she was working her sister, our Dottie, stepped in.

Rhonda and Shelly both share in this episode their most special memories with my mom. We talked, laughed and cried about how naturally funny my mom was. She was so kind that her sarcasm was almost impossible to be offensive. She would say things that no one else could get away with and you’d just LAUGH.

My mom, Dottie, was always kind, always loving, never judgmental. Our family loved to come to our house because they always felt welcome – the kids and adults alike.

I hope this episode inspires you to go out and spread love in your own life. I hope it makes you laugh, brings you joy, and helps you to feel a little bit closer to me.

My mission with this blog and my business is to help women remove their food and body anxieties so that they can live lives that are meaningful to them, focused on what matters most. My hope for you is that as you clear your mental space of food worries that you’d have more capacity to love, experience peace, and be present.

I hope this episode is that next stepping stone for you.

To end, I’d like to share my moms final wish with you (this feels extremely raw and intimate to share, but I think it’s inspiring so I’d like to do so) –

My moms final wish, word for word…

“Spend time with your family and never take for granted how important they are to you. Love is what matters most and when you think of me I hope you remember to spread the love.

I love you all, and I couldn’t have asked for a better life. I’ll continue to pray for each and everyone of you.”

You can listen to this episode on Apple, Spotify, or Google.

“Live your life in such a way that you’ll be remembered for your kindness, compassion, fairness, character, benevolence, and a force for good who had much respect for life, in general.” ― Germany Kent

My mother certainly lived out this quote and I hope to do the same.